📖 Instructions

1. Hard-boil the eggs: Place the eggs in a large pot and cover them with cold water. Bring the water to a rolling boil, then remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 12 minutes. This ensures perfectly cooked yolks without a greenish tinge. Drain the eggs and immediately transfer them to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. This also helps with peeling.
2. Peel the eggs: Gently tap each egg all over to crack the shell, then peel under cold running water. The ice bath should have made the shell come right off! Ain't nothin' worse than a stubborn egg shell.
3. Cook the bacon: While the eggs are cooking, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon from the skillet and place it on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Once cooled, crumble the bacon into small pieces. Remember, nobody likes floppy bacon!
4. Prepare the filling: Slice the peeled eggs in half lengthwise and carefully remove the yolks. Place the yolks in a mixing bowl. Add the mayonnaise, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper to the bowl with the yolks. I like using a good quality mayonnaise for this; it really makes a difference!
5. Mash and mix: Use a fork or a potato masher to mash the yolks and combine them with the other ingredients until smooth and creamy. Make sure there are no lumps! You want that silky smooth texture.
6. Add bacon to filling: Stir in most of the crumbled bacon, reserving some for garnish. This is where the magic happens – the bacon adds so much flavor and texture to the filling. Dont skimp on the bacon!
7. Fill the egg whites: Spoon the yolk mixture back into the egg white halves. For a fancier presentation, you can use a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip. Now they're starting to look like something special, ain't they?
8. Garnish and chill: Sprinkle the remaining crumbled bacon over the filled eggs. Cover the deviled eggs and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. This step is crucial; dont rush it!
9. Serve and enjoy: Remove the deviled eggs from the refrigerator and serve chilled. Watch how quickly they disappear – they're always a hit! I like to put a platter of these out at parties, and they're always gone in minutes.